Ciao from London UK!

[Danquz]

Hi everyone,
Danilo here, italian living in London in Uk.
Really passionate about cinema and fascinated by photography.
I always played with a very beginner camera (Nikon D3100) as amateur, starting to shoot manually quite recently.
I would like to approach to astro photography and I was thinking to buy a Sony mirrorless camera, so I'm here also to ask for suggestions.
Nice to meet you all!

 

[Unframed Dave]

Welcome Danilo, astrophotography in London could be quite a challenge I guess.

Not my field, but someone will be along soon.

 

[Jeff A]

Welcome to the Forum Danilo. I am itching to try some Astro. I have the camera and a great lens for that, but getting someplace dark is a problem.

 

[Danquz]

Hi Dave and Jeff and thanks.
Yes, I should be a bit more specific.
In London city, astrophotography would be impossible for light pollution, maybe it could be nice going around to shoot city nightscapes, artificial lights and traffic etc.
For sure, astro will be much more occasional, more a travel thing.
For now I had some opportunities, doing some kind of adventure trips, like kayaking in some islands in Greece. We were wild camping on the beaches and could see with the naked eye the milky way because there were no cities around.
Here in UK maybe, I could go to the countryside but it would be nice to find a group of people to go with.
Said that, I was looking with interest to buy a Sony a7 III or a7 C (for the budget I have at the moment), as all round camera that can be good for astro as well.
Should I ask maybe in a different section for suggestions, also for lenses?
Thanks again

 

[FowlersFreeTime]

Welcome Danilo, if you're doing a bit of travel photography as well as astrophotography, I think the A7C's compact body size may be good for you. Perhaps you should try to go to a physical retailer that has the A7C and A7III (or IV) in stock so you can see what feels better in your hands. The ergonomics will be your deciding factor since the A7C and A7III share much of the same specs. As for Astro lens suggestions, in general you will want the widest aperture available for the focal length you choose, and that focal length is up to you whether you want to capture the whole sky or just a part. If I were to throw out a suggestion, maybe Sony FE 20mm f1.8? Sigma also has a 24mm f1.4 which would work well and is cheaper.
Don't forget to budget for a sturdy tripod as astrophotography requires longer exposures.

 

[Jeff A]

Hi Dave and Jeff and thanks.
Yes, I should be a bit more specific.
In London city, astrophotography would be impossible for light pollution, maybe it could be nice going around to shoot city nightscapes, artificial lights and traffic etc.
For sure, astro will be much more occasional, more a travel thing.
For now I had some opportunities, doing some kind of adventure trips, like kayaking in some islands in Greece. We were wild camping on the beaches and could see with the naked eye the milky way because there were no cities around.
Here in UK maybe, I could go to the countryside but it would be nice to find a group of people to go with.
Said that, I was looking with interest to buy a Sony a7 III or a7 C (for the budget I have at the moment), as all round camera that can be good for astro as well.
Should I ask maybe in a different section for suggestions, also for lenses?
Thanks again

The Sony 14mm f/1.8 GM was my choice. Now, to go someplace to shoot Astro!

 

[Tim Mayo]

Welcome Danilo and thanks so much for joining up here! I don't know if you follow Alyn Wallace but he uses the a7III for astrophotography although I think he's also modified it. But it is a very good choice for astro even without modding as is the a7C. You can see what gear and lenses Alyn is using here: https://alynwallacephotography.com/gear